We are the Marvelous Frugaleers - Mindfully Managing our Money in May.. Come join us!

[Laska42]

So here is a new thread for all the Magical May Frugaleers!

All are welcome to come and join our friendly supportive group if you'd like to take control of your finances in May and beyond..

We are working together to support each other, live within our means, pay off those debts and save for the life we want!

Good luck everyone for another month

It feels better with a plan doesn't it north. I feel a bit out of control without one.

Yep, fluffy, nearly 2 weeks. She's ok, as she's been too poorly to want to do anything or feel fed up, but she's asked me to bring in a newspaper for the first time tonight, so hopefully feels a little better. Some really good deals you've got there. I must try quidco!

Rough meal plan is

Liver and bacon casserole.
Veg and chick pea curry.
Frittata and salad. (eggs from my chucks )
Chicken and chorizo casserole.
Roast chicken.
Something with mince so chilli, spag bol, lasagne and salad.

Nsd. Meal plan:

Spag bol x 2
Fakeaway with pitta
Fresh stuffed pasta
Sausages
Leek risotto
Jacket potatoes and beans

Thanks need looking for paper is a good sign isn't it?

fluffy dd is 5, she was there when I read text, all she wanted to know was who would bring her to school now. I said not to worry Mammy & Daddy would sort it out. She came out with next, I know my brother will do it. Little does she realise he doesn't drive, doesn't live with us anymore & showed precious little interest in caring for her when he did live at home. It's been 4 full months since he saw her! Life is so simple when you're 5 isn't it!
Ds is 18 months he'll find new person an adjustment but they'll both cope

@ magic chicken - we were going to have leftover chicken dinner today but we had guests at the original roast so only enough left for one sandwich!

Instead tonight we've had a somewhat out of date tomato soup with mini sausage rolls and pork pies (can you tell I'm clearing out the fridge?)
Tomorrow wraps with ham, cheese and salad
Thursday spaghetti bolognase
Fish pie on friday
probably Rice and stuff on Saturday.

Trying to get inspired to cook something for tea, don't know what I fancy!

Dd still not feeling great but felt well enough to go to hairdressers so that was £15, it looks lovely also £1 parking, £1.50 on Morrisons calpol (couldn't bring myself to spend £3.50 on the branded equivalent even though dd will moan!) and £16 on 3kgs of cat biscuits - hoping that should last them a while.

Am feeling stressed as tax credit people have written to me wanting all my childcare receipts for the last year I am pretty sure haven't over claimed but it still makes me feel panicked!! Not sure why they are picking on me, they wanted them last year as well and I don't exactly claim a lot

£17 in B&Q on 8 growbags and a ltr of tomorite..
£13..33 in co op on reduced stuff, tinned tomatoes and a stupid veg briyani which i ate for lunch at work( why did i do that? )

My 'magic' chicken did us 2 meals and scraps for a coup of sarnies (but it wasnt very big) also stock for soup..

so my meals: left over chicken/ salady bits this eveing , wil make soup later probably using the stock (veggies and / lentil)

Tomorrow ill probably do pasta and tom sauceto eat then but ill be also cooking sausages ,and ill be making a spanish omlette/frittata with eggs peppers and potatoes

Thursday I am running a poll station all day , a long day... Am planning taking frittata and soup for me , lots of coffee (and a pck of choc bics or two and cake for the troops ) ..Also sossie sarnies and soup for DS who will be working there also with me, I might make flapjack tomorrow night also.

Friday depends on how tired i am!! whave to get into work early after not finishing until midnight, so probably will be something quick and easy like salmon or steak for dinner ..

£4 on slippers and 65p on a yogurt/banana. £64 for travel card and £3.15 for parking. Not having the best time in my new job yet, feel bored and unchallenged. Don't have access to everything I need. I guess that's pretty normal stuff. No news from friday's interview yet, I'm trying not to be too chummy with the current lot just in case!

Will man is coming round tonight, will be spendy.

My magic chickens don't seem to be as magical anymore! I think reducing the portion size of protein is more expensive in the long run as it doesn't keep us full for as long and we start on the snacks and toast. ..

Nsd today. Probably the last for this week but might squeeze another in tomorrow.

Hope you find another good one lilac.
Like the plan north.
Pleased there is a mam improvement Needa.

Do you get paid much for helping out at a poll station?

Protein is really expensive Pass, we only have chicken and fish maybe once a week. Otherwise we have sausages or tinned tuna as a cheaper alternatives.

Mind you I watched the truth about food last night and am feeling a bit guilty about my bacon and sausage consumption after seeing all the piggies lining up to be slaughtered

I think I would be veggie if I was less fussy and more creative with food, we do have a couple of veggie meals a week though I reckon.

Hmm our power just flicked off. Wouldn't be surprised if we lose it properly it's very windy!

girlie you get about £150, as a poll clerk (but its taxable).. Im the 'boss' of a station so ill get a bit ( not that much!) more. You can also get about £12hr for doing the count ( and I usually do these too, although sadly us working polling stations cant do the count this year as its overnight straight after the poll closes for a general election) if you usually do both you can take take home about £200/250 (depending on how long the count takes.) also you can get work sendin gout postal votes inthe weeks before hand .

its a very long day though.. I start at 6am, and finish about midnight once ive reckoned up and delivered the box to the counting station ( poll clerks dont have to do that, though they get off about 10.30 )

However if you are interested (too late now for this one though you never know there may be another in a few months if there is no clear majority or coalition formed ) get your name down at your local council elections office. Theres usually an election of some sort every year, ( local , parish , general) ,its long long day and can be boring on small elections , but i think of it as my holiday spending money (and the team are good company ) ..

I chatted with a friend who has visited a pig factory in Sweden recently, owned fully by the Danish. You won't eat cheap bacon again, I promise

I am still undecided re who to vote for, so shall definitely be visiting the local polling station, just slightly panicking now as to who will get my vote!

NSD

Still sneezing like mad with the flippin pollen. Got home to find a note in the letter box saying that we wouldn't have running water from 8am to 6pm tomorrow, talk about last minute . I've had to cancel the claner who usually comes on Wednesdays, which will save some € but means I'll have to do some dreaded housework!

Thats interesting Laska might look into doing it in the future!

Needa

I have sent my postal vote off, am really hoping its not another 4 years of the Tories, I have had no pay rise in 4 years plus I think things like the bedroom tax are an absolute disgrace we will see I guess.....

I have to be neutral running a station. It can be 'interesting' as people will tell you what they are voting and why even though we have to tell them we cant give any opinions and have to try and stop them from talking about it if anyone else is in the station ..

We are not even allowed to wear anything that may remind someone of the colour of a political party ( its getting more difficult that one.. i usually go for grey these days) ..

.... but I also havent had a pay rise in 4 years ( in fact, a significant cut as my old public sector job was 'deleted' and i had to reapply for the same job in essence at a much lower grade if i wanted to stay on (which i did )..

However I can, and have already, voted..I expect you can guess which way i went

£6 DS haircut.
£1.50 bus fares to the doctor.
99p rubber gloves.

Arrghh! still no nsd. £18 on grocery bits and small treat for ds as he did really well in school today. Need to stick to LSD tomorrow. On balance got paid to do some authors corrections to a clients work so got an hours pay I wouldn't have normally.

Need to do lots of jobs in house as well.

£8 for a Pilates class. I've not done one for ages and I feel good. I don't feel as useless as I thought I might be having not exercised for too long/years! And £36 for cleaner.

need yes I feel much better having a meal plan. I'm also trying to be much more organised and varied with lunches. I'm going to do one soup a week, enough for 3or 4 portions, leftovers from the previous nights tea and am going to try doing salad in a jar which seems to be all over the Internet at the moment. Has anyone tried them? Anything that means I can prepare things ahead is good for me!

laska the election clerk job sounds interesting but heavy going all day I'm sure.

NSD as I forgot about the cat food. Will get it and some bananas tomorrow.

.... (ignore me I'm just moving this post up my list..)

NSD. In fact up £52 as the shoes DH ordered are out of stock.

Nearly spent loads online shopping because DD1 and DS both need raincoats, but couldn't find anything decent in DD1s size and found a handmedown that is a bit big for DS but would do...
I have left loads of other sales clothes for the dc in the online baskets so I can have a look through their 'too big' boxes tomorrow and write down what they need before I commit...